"And this," said Katherine, pointing to a long steel thing with a great
knob adorned with cruel spikes, "is the family mace, I suppose. I've
seen it before, I remember."

"Yes, that's the mace."

"What a blood-thirsty set of people you must have been!"

Austin came up with a laugh. "There's a legend among us that once mother
was left alone in the house and insisted on having this mace near her
bed so as to defend herself against burglars. But why do you leave me to
tell the story, Dick?"

Dick clenched his fists, and, muttering something, turned and ascended
the gallery above the screen. Viviette followed him.

"You're not doing it at all nicely. I don't think you want to."

"Can you wonder at that?" he said hoarsely.

Viviette played deliciously with the fire.

"Why, aren't we intelligent enough for you?" she asked with childish
innocence.

"You know what I mean."

"I haven't the faintest idea. All I know is that you may as well be
polite, at any rate."